Rotarian



.'5I Sheets-Sheet l N.'w. GRAVES Emp Filred ug. 24, 1929 IJuly 14, 1931.

July 14', 1931. N. w. GRAVES ET Al. 1,314,213

` ROTARIAN Filed Aug. 24. 1929 s sheets-Sheet 2 N. w. GRAVES ET AL 1,314,213

ROTARIAN l 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. \24, 1929 July 14, 1931.

gmc/nim N W @ra 1re@ Pans @ra Ves L/"a Vea Patented July 14, 1931 islam UNiTED vstarras serrur- 'or-Fret 1"TO`LAND 1.7L GRAVE-S,- OF TAFT, AND PANSY GRAVES A;ND @ROVER GRAVES, 01S

SrlhllV CRUZ, CALIFORNIA ROTARIAN Application filed August 24, 1929. Serial No. 389,596.

This invention relates 'to apparatus designed for use in well drilling operations and more particularly in connection with the engaging and removing of sections of oil well 5 drill pipe while in plac-ein the well.

In addition to providing a tool whereby aright hand threaded string of pipe may be employed for engaging and unscrewing sections of the right hand threaded drill l, .e line, the present invention has for its primary object to provide a tool having a means whereby a stream of water may be passed therethrough to wash off the threads of the lost string which is to be engaged so that a clean coupling may be effected between the threaded endy of the lost drill pipe string and the string of pipe employed for the fishing operation'.

Another object of the' invention is to provide a tool of the above described character so constructed that the stream of wash water may be passed therethrough without comin-g into contact with reversing gears therein, so that these gears may be kept clean and free from dirt particularly when the tool may be employed for removing rotary mud` or oil from the well. Y

Still another object of the invention is to provide a tool of the above described charact-er having associated therewith anchor elements which move laterally from the tool when the sameis brought into engagement with the lost drill pipe stri-ng for engage,- inent with the sides of the well, hole so that when the fishing string of pipe is rotated for engagement with the lost string and the removal of the engaged section thereof, the body of the tool will be held against rotation.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part of the present invention with the understanding, however, that the invention is not confined to any strict conformity with the showing of the drawings but may be changed or modified so long as such changes or modifications mark no material departure from the salient featuresy oftheinvention as enpressed in the appended claims.

In the drawings Figures 1^ and 1B represent the tool in longitudinal section embodying the present g5 invention, as a whole.

Figure 2 is an enlarged longitudinal section through the upper portion. of the tool.

Figure 3 is an enlarged longitudinal section through the central gearV cncasing porte tionof the tool..

Figure 4; is an enlarged longitudinal section through that portion of the tool where` in is located the lower hub and lower thrust bearing. e se' Figure 5 is an enlarged longitudinal section through the lower end ofthe tool showing the anchor means thereof.

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional view taken upon theA line 6-6 of Figure 2. 'J n Figure 7 is a transverse sectional view taken upon the line 7`7 of Figure Figure 8 is .a transverse sectional view taken upon the line 8-8 of Figure 4.

Referring more particularly to the drawings wherein lilrenumerals of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the numeral l indicates generally the shell or housing of the present tool which housing, as shown, is made up of a series of ce sections indicated by the numerals 2, 3,4, and 5.

As shown, the section 2'ha-s. one end reduced and exteriorly threaded as indicated at 6, for engagement in one interiorly threaded end of the section 3, which latter section encases the reversing gear of the tool here` inafter to be specifically described. The other end of the section 3 receives the eXteriorly threaded reduced portion 7 of thev sec- L tion 4, as shown, and the'othc'r end of the section 4 receives the reduced eXteriorly threaded end portion 8 of the section 5, the four sections thus being connected in alignment. In order to prevent accidental unscrewing of these sections, set screws 9 are passed through the joints, in the manner shown.v

The other end of the section 2 has threaded engagement with thesleeve ,portion l() Qf It@ tioned, the bearing and adjacent face of the is positioned a hub 23 lange being separated by a washer 16 formed of case-hardened steel.

The ond of the shaft 13 lying in the'bearing 12 extends beyond the nut 11 into the 3 recessed end of a head tool joint 17, this end of the shaft terminating in a reduced threaded stem 13 which has threaded engagement in the bore 19 formed through the head, the outer end of this bore opening into the threaded conical portion 2O in which one end of a pipe string may be engaged.

Separating the head 17 from the nut 11 is a washer 21 and a thrust bearing 22.

Vithin the section 2 of the tool casing there which receives the inner end of the shaft portion 13, in the manner shown, this hub being held against. rotation by the counter-sunk screws 24 which are passed through the wall of the casing, in the manner shown, and into the hub. intermediate its ends the hub 23 is recessed to form the central chamber 25 through which the shaft portion 13 passes and at this point the shaft portion 13 is provided with a series of radially directed ports 26 which `communicate with a passage leading from this point longitudinally therethrough to the outer en d thereof and opening into the passage 19 in the head 1.7. The bore through the hub is of slightly larger diameter at each end than the shaft portion 13 which extends therethrough and placed around the shaft in each end of the hub is a packing material 2S which is firmly pressed inwardly by a gland 29 of the usual construction.

Secured in each end of the central section 3 of the casing is a blocl: 30 which has a pair of bores formed therethrough, in cach of which is a suitable hearing 31. liiounted between the bl clrs 30, and extending longitudinally of the casing, is a pair of gears 32 and 33, each of which carries a trunnion 34 which passes through a bearing 31. in the manner shown. rlhe trunnion of the gear 32, which is directed into the casing section 2, is connected with the shaft 35 by means of a universal joint 36. the other end of this shaft being connected by a similar universal joint 37 to the inner end of the shaft section 13.

The trunnion upon the other end of the gear 32 has a retaining pin 38 passed therethrough at the outer end of the bearing through which it extends, which pin maintains the o'ear in the proper position between the bearing supporting blocks.

The gear 33 is equipped at each end with a trunnion 39, that one extending into the casing section 2 having a retaining pin 40 similar to the pin 33 passed therethrough while the other one is extended into the casing section 4 and has universal joint connection, as at 41, with a shaft section 42, the opposite end of which is similarly connected by a universal joint 43 with a shaft section 44 of the same character as the shaft section 13. This shaft section 44 is mounted in a hub 45 of the same type as the hub 23, there being formed in the central portion thereof the chamber 46 in communication with which are the lateral passages 47 leading from the inner end of a bore 48 which runs longitudinally through this shaft section 44 to the lower end thereof. The lower end of this shaft section 44 is enlarged to the form of al bell 49 for the purpose hereinafter described, and the bore 48, from the inner end of the hell 49 to a point substantially midway between the ends of the shaft section 44, is of materially greater diameter than that portion of the bore into which the ports 47 open.

Secured at the point of joinder between the casing sections 4 and 5 is a bearing block 50, through the central portion of which a passage is formed which contains a bearing 51 through which a shaft portion 44 passes, there being formed about the shaft portion at the upper side of the bearing block 50, the thrust bearing flange 52 between which and the bearing blockv is interposed a thrust bearing 53.

The upper part of the shaft portion 44 which is supported by the hub 45, has a packing 54 thereabout upon each side of the chamber 46 and these two bodies of packing are held in place by glands 55 which are forced into the adjacent ends of the hub, in the manner shown. p

rThe bell shaped portion 49 of the shaft section 44 is positioned within the casing section 5 and there extends through this portion of the shaft and into the adjacent enlarged portion of the bores thereof the tubular shaft section 56,the upper end cf which is slidable in the bore of the shaft section 44 for the purpose hereinafter more specifically described. T he part 49 of t-he shaft portion 44 receives a packing lmaterial 57, which is forced inwardly to firmly engage the wall of the tubular shaft portion 56, by a gland 58 which is connected with the part 49 vby the usual screws 59.

In the lower end of the lower section 5 of the casing there is threadably secured the reduced portion 60 of a terminal nut 61, the inner face of which is provided with a recess 62 of polygonal outline. This nut has aV passage formed centrally therethrough which opens into the recess 62 and lining this passage is a bearing bushing 63.

The lower part of the shaft portion 56 is slightly enlarged, as indicated at 64, and adjacent the lower part of this enlarged portion there is formed a locking body 65 of the saine design as vthe recess 62 in which is adapted to position at certain periods during the use of the tool. That part of the portieri 64 outwardly of the locking body 65 entends through the bushing 63 beyond the lower end of the tool housing where it receives a tool joint "66 which is provided with a central bore 67 communicating with the lower end of the tubular shaft 56 and terminating in the enlarged threaded part 68 which engages or `grapples the lend of a well pipe line.

Formed about the part 64 of the tubular shaft portion 56 is a collar 69 and within the casingsection 5 and surrounding the portion 64 is a sleeve 70 which, at diametrically opposite points adjacent the lower end, has pivotally attached thereto, as at 7l, the laterally curved anchor pins 72. i

These pins are permanently positioned and adapted to slide in the outwardly and upwardly curving passages 73 formed at diametrically opposite points in the wall of the surrounding casing section.

Extending through the casing section 2, 3, and 4 and connecting and opening into the chambers 25 and 46 of the hubs 23 and 45 respectively is a wash water pipe 74, this ypipe passing through suitable apertures formed through the bearing blocks so t-hat when a iishing line is attached to the head joint 17 and an attempt is made to couple the lower end of the casing with the pipe string, water may be passed downwardly 'through the shaft section 13 into the chamber 25, through the pipe 74 to the chamber 46 and then through the shaft sections 44 and 56 to discharge through the joint 66 to wash sand or dirt from the threads of the vupper section of the pipe string with which the tool is to be coupled.

It will be readily understood that with the present tool a string of right hand threaded pipe may be employed for removing a right hand threaded section of a lost string and the threads of the lost string may be heptclean during this operation by the water passing through the tool, in the mann-er ocscribed. Due to the manner in which the water is passed from the upper to the lower one of the hubs the gears 82 and 33 may be kept well oiled to work smoothly as no water can come into contact therewith.

After contact has been made between the tool and the section of the lost pipe string the weight of the tool and the fishing string will force the joint 66 and the elements 56, 64 and 65 upwardly into the tool casing, the hollow shaft portion 56 telescoping into the shaftportion 44, in the manner shown l/Vhe'n this operation takes place the sleeve 70 will be moved upwardly also and the arm 72 will be forced laterally from the casing through the passage 73 to engage the wall of the hole in which the tool is positioned. By this means the tool will i be herd securely against rotation so -that the rotary action of vthe shaft extending therethrough will not move the casing and defeat the purpose of the tool. Y

After a union has been made between the joint 66 and the pipe of the lost string and the fishing string drawn upwardly that part of the shaft carrying the sleeve 7 O and the arms 72 will drop, disengaging the arms from the wall of the hole and positioning the locking nut in the recess 62. Further turning of the shaft through the tool independently of the casing cannot then take place.

Having thus described our what we claim is l. A tool of theoha-racter described for coupling a shing pipe string with a. threaded end of a section of a line of drill pipe, comprising an elongated casing, a'piair of snafts w-ithin said casing, gear means ben tween said shafts whereby the clockwise rotation of the fishing string will cause countercloclrwise rotation of an engaged section of the lost string, a pair of chambered supporting hubs in the casing upon opposite sides of the gear elements and each supporting a shaft, a wash pipe connecting the chambers of said hubs,'and means whereby wash water may be passed through the tool for discharge therefrom upon a threaded portion of an adjacent lost pipe section to wach the same, said shafts each' being partly of tubular formation and each in invention,

communication with one end of sa '1d o sh` pipe through a hub chamber to permit the wash water to pass therethrough.

2. A tool of the character described for coupling a fishing pipel string with and facilitating the unscrewing of a section of a lost drill pipe string, comprising an elongated casing, a pair of shafts within the "i casing one thereof having one end rotatably mounted in theupper end of the casing, the other having' one end rotatably mounted in the lower end of the casing, the inner ends of the shafts being arranged in overlapping.;l relation, gears carried upon the overlapping ends of Vsaid shafts and coupling the same, each of said shafts being of tubular formation from its outer end to a point interinor` iate its ends and opening through lateral ports through the wall thereof, a hub body supporting each of said shafts in the casing and having a central chamber int-o which the lateral port thereof opens, and a pipe connecting the chambers of said hub body adapted to pass water from one to the other thereof to prevent the samecoming into contact with said gears.

3. A tool of the character described for facilitating the connection of a fishing pipe string with a section of a lost drill pipe string and the removal of the same, comprising an elongated casing, ahead joint rotatably mounted at the upper end of the easing for coupling the same with the fishing pipe string, a pair of shafts within the oasing, one thereof having one end rotatably mounted in the upper end of the casing and secured to said head joint to rotate therewith, the other of said shafts having one end rotatably mounted in and extending through the other end of the casing, a oo-upling tool joint carried by the extended end of the last mentioned shaft, gear -elements connecting the inner ends of said shafts whereby rotation'of one will impart revers rotation to the other, supporting bearing hubs within the casing each carrying o-ne of said shafts and each having the central portion thereof formed to provide a chamber, each of said shafts being centrally bored from its outer end to the ohambered portion of the supporting hub and opening laterally thereinto, said oints ca iied upon the outer end of the shafts being lil-:ewise centrally bored for communication with the shaft bores, and a pipe line leading from one of said hubs plast said gears to the other of the hubs and establishing communication between said chambers.

4:. A tool of the character described for facilitating the connection of a. fishing pipe string with a section of a lost drill -pipe string 'and the removal of the same, comprising an elongated casing, a. head joint rotatably mounted at the upper end of the casing for coupling the same with the fishing pipe string, a. pair of shafts within the casing, one thereof having one end rotatably mounted in the upper end of the casing and secured to said head joint to rotate therewith, the other of said shafts having one end rotatably mounted in and extending through the other end of the casing, a coupling tool joint carried by the extended end of the last mentioned shaft, gear elements connecting the inner ends of said shafts whereby rot-ation of one will impart reverse rotation to the other, supporting bearing hubs within the casing each carrying one of said shafts and each having the central portion thereof formed to provide a chamber, each of said shafts being centrally bored from its outer end to the chambered portion of the supporting hub and opening laterally thereinto, sain joints carried upon the outer end of the shafts being likewise centrally bored for communication with the shaft bores, a pipe line leading from one of said hubs past said gears to the other of the hubs and establishing conimunication between said chambers, that shaft having its outer end extended beyond the lower end of the casing being formed in a pair of telescoping sections, the outer one of which is adapted to move inwardly upon contact of the lower joint with a drill pipe section, and means operating upon the movement of the last mentioned one of the telescoping sections whereby said casing will be securedv against rotation.

5. A tool of the character described comprising an elongated casing, a pair of shafts within the casing and extending longitudinally thereof, with their adjacent inner ends in overlapping relation, supporting bearing blocks removably positioned in the central portion of the casing for the adjacent ends of said shafts, gear elements mounted upon said shafts between said bearing blocks and couplingpthe shafts, a. hub body within the casing at each side of the gears rotatably supporting the adjacent shaft and further having acentral chamber through which the supported shaft passes, each of said shafts having lateral ports opening into the chamber of the supporting hub and communicating with a central bore in the shaft extending to the outer end-thereof, means for packing said hubs about the shafts, a bearing in each end of said casing having the adjacent shaft passing therethrough, and a threaded centrally bored tool joint carried upon the outer end of each of said. shafts, that joint at the upper end of the easing having thrust bearing thereagainst.

6. A tool of the character described comprising an elongated casing, a pair of shafts within the casing and extending longitudinally thereof, with their adjacent inner ends in overlapping relation, supporting bearing blocks removably positioned in the central portion of the casing for the adjacent ends of said shafts, gear elements mounted upon said shafts between said bearing blocks and coupling the shafts, a hub body within the casing at each side of the gears rotatably supporting the adjacent shaft and further having a central chamber through which the supported shaft passes, each of said shafts having lateral ports opening into the chamber of the supporting hub and communieating with a central bore in the shaft extending to the o-nter end thereof, means for packing said hubs about the shafts, a bearing in each end of said casing having the adjacent shaft passing therethrough, a threaded centrally bored tool joint carried upon the outer end of each of saidshafts, that joint at the upper end of the casing having thrust bearing thereagainst, that shaft in the lower end of the casing being formed in two sections with the outer one thereof adapted to move relative to and telescope into the inner section upon engagement of the tool joint carried thereby with a lost pipe section, and means operating upon movement of the outer one of said shaft sections to anchor the casing against rotation. v

7 A tool of the character described comprising an elongated casing, a pair of shafts within the casing and extending longitudinally thereof, with their adjacent inner ends in overlapping relation, supporting bearing blocks removably positioned in the central portion of the casing for the adjacent ends of said shafts, gear elements mounted upon said shafts between said bearing blocks and coupling the shafts, a hub body within the casing at each side of the gears rotatably supporting the adjacent shaft and further having a central chamber through which the supported shaft passes, each of said shafts having` lateral ports opening into the chamber of the supporting hub and communicating with a central bore in the shaft extending to the outer end thereof, means for packing said hubs about the shafts, a bearing in each end of said casing having the adjacent shaft passing therethrough, a threaded centrally bored tool joint carried upon the outer end of each of said shafts, that joint at the upper end of the casing having thrust bearing thereagainst, that shaft inthe lower end of the casing being formed in two sections with the outer one thereof adapted to move relative to and telescope into the inner section upon engagement of the tool joint carried thereby with a lost pipe section, a sleeve surrounding and rotatable upon the outer one of the shaft sections, and a pair of anchor pins each pivotally attached to and carried by the sleeve, each of said pins being slidably positioned in an adjacent aperture opening through the wall of the casing and adapted to be projected outwardly to anchor the tool casing against rotation uponinward movement of the supporting shaft section.

8, A tool of the character described comprising an elongated casing, a pair of shafts within the casing and extending longitudinally thereof, with their adjacent inner ends in overlapping relation, supporting bearing blocks removably positioned in the central portion of the casing for the adjacent ends of said shafts, gear elements mounted upon said shafts between said bearing blocks and coupling the shafts, a hub body within the casing at each side of the gears rotatably supporting the adjacent shaft and further having a central chamber through which the supported shaft passes, each of said shafts having lateral ports opening into the chamber of the supporting hub and communicating with a central bore in the shaft extending to the outer end thereof, means for packing said hubs about the shafts, a bearing in each end of said casing having the adjacent shaft passing therethrough, athreaded centrally bored tool joint carried upon the outer end of each of said shafts, that joint at the upper end of the casing having thrust bearing thereagainst, thatshaft in the lower end of the casing being formed in two sections with the outer one thereofadapted to move relative to and telescope into the inner section upon engagement of the tool joint carried thereby with a lost pipe section, a sleeve surrounding and rotatable upon the outer one of the shaft'sections, a pair of anchor pins each pivotally attached to and carried by the sleeve, each of said pins being slidably positioned. in an adjacent aperture opening through the wall of the casing and adapted to'be projected outwardly to anchor the tool casing against rotation upon inward movement of the supporting shaft section, and means for locking the shafts against rotation upon the retraction of said pins.

9. A'well tool of the character described comprising an elongated casing, a threaded tool joint at each end of said casing, a pair of shafts Vextending longitudinally in the casing each having one end extended through and rotatably mounted in an end of the casing and coupled with the adjacent joint to turn therewith, the inner ends of said shafts being in overlapping relation, gear elements connecting the inner ends of the shafts, and means operating upon engagement o-f one of said joints with a body disposed in a well bore whereby said casing will be anchored against rotation. j Y

l0. A well tool of the character described comprising an elongatedcasing, a threaded tool joint at each end of said casing, a pair of shafts extending longitudinally in the casing` each having one end extended through and rotatably mounted in an end of the casing` and coupled with the adjacent joint to turn therewith, the inner ends of said shafts being in overlapping relation, gear elements connectingthe inner ends of the shafts, means operating upon engagement of one of said joints with a body disposed in a well bore whereby said casing will be anchored against rotation, and means whereby upon lifting the tool free of an underlying body disengagement of said anchoring means will take place.

ll. A well tool of the character described comprising an elongated casing, a threaded tool joint at each end of said casing, a pair of shafts extending longitudinally in the casing, each having .oneend extended through and rotatably mounted in an end of the casing and coupled with the adjacent joint to turn therewith, the inner ends of said shafts being in overlapping relation, gear elements connecting the inner ends of the shafts, means operating upon engagement of one of said joints with a body disposed in a well bore kwhereby said casing will be anchored against rotation, and means whereby disengagement of sain anchoring means will take place upon lifting the tool free from contact with an underlying body and said shaft will be locked against rotation in the casing.

12. A well tool of the character described, comprising an elongated casing, a threaded tool joint rotatably mounted at each end of lOO CII

said casing, a pair of shafts lying within the casing and extending longitudinally thereof, each having one end rotatably supported in an end of the casing and coupled with the adjacent joint for rotation therewith, gear elements coupling the overlapping inner ends of said shafts, one of said shafts being formed in two telescopically associated sect1ons,an chor pins carried by one of said sections and adapted for extension through the casing wall to engage the surrounding wall of a well hole upon contact of the tool with an underlying body, and means normally preventing rotation of the shafts independently of the casing shifting upon movement of said pins to disengage the shaft from the casing.

13. A tool of the character described, comprising an elongated tubular casing, a tubular pipe coupling element rotatably mounted upon each end of the casing, a pair of shafts extending longitudinally in the casing one from each of said coupling elements and each including a tubular portion, translating mechanism within the casing connecting adjacent ends of said shafts for converting the clockwise rotation of one to connter-clockwise rotation of the other, and means whereby wash water may be passed through the casing from one end to the other and by-passed about said translating mechanism from the tubular portions of the shafts to prevent contact therewith.

14. A tool of the character described, comprising an elongated tubular casing, a tubular pipe coupling element rotatably mounted upon each end lof the casing, a pair of shafts extending longitudinally in the casing one from each of said coupling elements, translating mechanism within the casing connecting adjacent ends of said shafts for converting the eloclrwise rotation of one to countercloclrwise rotation ofl the other, bearings supporting each of said shafts adjacent its outer end, each bearing being hollow in its central portion and in communication with the hollow interior of the shaft, and a. water conducting pipe connecting the hollow central portions .of the bearings for conducting wash water from one end of the tool to the other without coming into Contact with said translating mechanism.

l'n testimony whereof we hereunto aflix our signatures.

NOLAND W. GRAVES. PANSY GRAVES. GROVER E. GRAVES. 

